There They Go
by SCamden
Summary: First FanFic! Diane Di Johnston has just moved to Tulsa. What happens when she's beat up and has nowhere to go? Who will she run into? Who will she trust? Summary SUCKS, but story is better!
1. Cloudy on a Sunny Day

**There They Go**

Sunny on a Cloudy Day**  
**

It was a sunny day in Tulsa, Okalahoma. The birds were out singing; little children were playing out in their yards, while "Cocaine Blues" rung out through the neighborhood.

Diane "Di" Johnston walked down the gravel road, kicking an empty cola bottle. The bright sunlight shone down on her auburn colored hair, and it felt good. The past couple of weeks Tulsa had been cold and cloudy. It was still winter, but it had warmed up a bit.

She turned her head at the sound of laughter. She sighed, and continued walking.

Everything had seemed to go downhill after her brother died in a train accident. Her parents started bickering at each other like it was religion, her father had started to drink, and he had quit his job, causing their income to take a quick dive.  
They had moved away from Camden, Arkansas, here to Tulsa, after they didn't have enough money. Her aunt had lived there when she was still alive, and for some reason they headed up to Tulsa.

Di didn't want to move, but neither her nor Jackie (her sister) have much a say. They had moved here a month ago today, a month since Diane had seen all her friends in Camden, a month since she'd seen her boyfriend, a whole month since she had left home.

She hated it here. Everything was divided. You were either a Soc or a Greaser. No in between.

She had complained to her mother, who had said, "I know. It'll just take time to adjust is all."

Yeah, right.

Time, time, time. _Everything _took too much time.

Diane turned off Dawson Street, heading on Ridgeston Road, which was her street.

She was walking slowly, and was unaware of the presence behind her.

"Jeez, Dall, cut it out."

Di turned around quickly. She saw three boys.

One, the tallest, had cold blue eyes and dark brown hair, the others also had darker hair, and one theirs was black.

Those two boys on looked out of place. It was kinda awkward looking in a way.

Di started walking a little bit faster, picking up her pace step by step.

"What?" The tough looking one in the middle called out. He spoke loudly, and his words were slowed down.

Di walked even faster, nearly breaking out into a run.

"Come on, broad!" He yelled.

Di broke out into a run. She thought she could her them behind her, but she wasn't stupid enough to look behind.

She heard them shout behind her, but soon enough she was in her house.

She slammed the door behind her, gasping for breath.  
"Honey? Is that you?"

"Yeah Mom!" Di responded. She walked to the kitchen, where she could smell the aroma of some food.

"Why are you so tired?" Her mother asked, taking some casserole out of the oven.

Di thought it best to not worry her mother with this at the moment. "I was just running, you know, just getting exercise."

They both sat down at the small, round table, and her mother spoke, "Do you have any homework at all?"  
Di shook her head, and studied her mother's face.  
She'd never noticed the wrinkles and lines around her eyes, and green her eyes were. Her blonde hair was curly; it was hanging down in little columns, twisted around.

"Did you make any friends at school today?"

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A/n- Okay! Some things to point out – This story doesn't take place in a certain year. It's AU-ish too.  
I know Dally had (S) blond hair, but I feel better making him brown for some reason.

IN the book, I felt that Ponyboy didn't really like Dally. Just more kinda respected him. So I plan to make them closer in this.

R & R!


	2. Out to Nowhere

Chapter 2 

Out to Nowhere

Once Diane had finished her supper, she had helped Jackie with her homework, did her's, took a shower and went to bed.

She stared up at the ceiling, unable to sleep. She glanced over at the clock that lay on her wooden dresser.

12 P.M.

_Great. _She thought. _Only six hours to go. _

She tossed and turned for another half or so, and got out of her bed. She shut her bedroom door carefully, making sure she wouldn't wake up Jackie. She then tiptoed into the kitchen and poured a glass of water from the sink.

In mid-drink, she could hear somebody's truck zooming down the street, with people "Whoopin' and hollerin'."

She shrugged it off. _It's probably just some greasers messin' around._

She had cleaned off her glass and was putting it away when she heard the door creak.

She frowned. She must have not shut it all the way.

She walked through the little room in between, her feet going _pitter-patter pitter-patter _on the soft linoleum. She felt a soft breeze, kind of like when someone's just walked past you.

"Hello, Darlin'"  
Di's stomach turned over doing somersaults. _She _then rotated, now facing the voice.

It was her father.

He smiled, revealing a bloody lip and a drunken smile. "Wanna clean this up for me?"

Di knew better to not do anything so she replied timidly, "Y-Yes."

"Good." He stumbled to a chair, hardly landing on it.

Di returned shortly with a damp towel and walked over to him.

He appeared rather confused, his brown eyebrows crooked.

She stuck out her hand slowly, carefully heading for his lip.

His eyebrows dropped, and he formed what looked like a smile, but it as quick as anything, he had grabbed Di's wrist and was violently shaking her.

"WHAT THE _HELL _DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOIN'!"?

She tried to break free of his grasp, but it wasn't any good.

"YOUR GONNA LOOK AT ME WHEN I TALK TO YOU!" He yelled even louder.

"I was trying to clean your l-"

"SHUT UP!"

He had yelled loud enough to wake up her mother and Jackie, who were now running towards the noise.

"Bill!" Her mother cried out in shock. "what are you doing?" She shouted now, tears pouring out of both her and Jackie's eyes.

"YOU SHUT UP, YOU LITTLE SHIT!"

He now was swinging Di around, and he pinned her against the wall. He hit her in the chest, and she let out a bloodcurdling scream.  
"NO!"

He hit her harder and harder, each blow more deadly than the first.

"STOP!" Now the scream came from her mother.

Jackie wailed in the background, grabbing onto her mother's arm, begging it to stop.

He slammed Diane against the wall continuously, and her mother had come and tried to pry him off of her, but that just made him angrier. He threw back his wife, and turned back around.

He pushed her powerfully into the wooden side table, sending a glass vase flying in the air. He kicked her in her sides, and finished her by punching her in the eye.

Then he quit and he walked to the front door. He turned around and looked like he was about to say something but then he collapsed onto the floor.

Di sighed, slightly relieved, but when she looked around and couldn't see her mother or Jackie, she felt a wave of nausea flow through her. They must have left. That hurt worse than anything.

She felt hot tears run down her cheek, and running into the corner of her mouth.

"Mmphh."

It was her father, attempting to talk.

She had no time to pity herself, and to just sit there hurting.

She scooted over to the left, attempting to get the table to pull herself up.

She finally got there and struggled upward using her hands and forearms. It hurt like hell, but she wouldn't give in just yet.

She went as fast as she could possibly go out the front door, and out to nowhere, the only place that Di could go.

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A/n – Okay, the next chapter should be longer! I hope I have more than just one reader! Please, even if it's only a couple of words, REVIEW! I know this storyline has probably been done a thousand times, but bare with me!  
I had the first chapter written a LONG time ago.

Oh, before I go on any further, if anyone has any Ideas or wants to beta, message me and I'll get back to you!


	3. Awkward

She stumbled out onto the softly packed dirt. She was wandering by the vacant lot, a local hangout for the greasers. She limped as far as she could and fell to the brown earth.

She let out a big moan of pain. She'd never hurt this bad in her entire life.

Di wondered what she would do, where she would go. She had no living family around here, no friends; she just might as well go find one of the greaser's homes to stay in! (Which really isn't saying much…)

She let out another sigh. This time more out of frustration than pain.

There was a soft breeze, silent as death. Di's nerves were growing higher and higher by the second. They were only made worse when she heard two voices a little ways behind her.

Di immediately was as still as a statue, not even daring to breathe.

She listened intently.

She could make out something like, "Remember if you're cold or something just head on over to…"

Now it was footsteps. Whoever the person was, they sure walked fast and quiet. They panted too.

_Probably cause it's so damn cold. _Diane thought.

She couldn't hear the footsteps anymore, and she stupidly let out a loud sigh.

She rested her head against a bench.

"Who's there?"

It was one of the voices!

Di's stomach flipped and her heart was beating so fast, she could hear it. Heck, you could probably see it through her chest.

She stayed quiet, not having enough courage to turn around and answer.

"I said who's there?" He called again.

Suddenly it came to Diane. It was one of the boys who had walked behind her a couple of hours ago! One of the one's who looked out of place. A greaser.

She inhaled sharply and called out into the darkness, "It's Di. Diane Johnston."

Diane waited for him to respond, but nothing came.

Instead, the boy had come around the bench. Diane closed her eyes, not sure what do or to think.

He had a blade raised; Di could see when she opened her eyes. She gasped, loud enough to where it was nearly a scream.

He quickly closed it and kneeled down, putting his hand on her mouth.

"Shush!"

Diane winced He had hit her where her father had.

"Gloria! You're bleeding!"

Di slapped his hand, "You hush!"

He looked around to make sure no one had seen this. He looked back at her with worried green eyes. "What happened to you, are you gonna be alright?"

Di nodded fervently, "Yes, yes. I'm fine."

Pony figured she was lying, but if he was two more seconds late, Darry'd be on his tail, like Tom would be on Jerry.

"Well, if you say so. I- I, do you need somewhere to stay?"

Darry would have to wait.

Di nodded, but the nod turned quickly into no.

Pony sighed, but he couldn't just leave her out here to freeze!

"I'll introduce you to Johnny, and you can stay with him."

Di looked horrified at the thought of sleeping by a boy. And the Greaser must of known that since he replied, "No, Johnny aint that kind of boy!"

Di was far from assured, but said she would go. Anywhere warmer…

The Greaser helped her up, and they walked as fast as Di's legs could go, and he spoke.  
"By the way, I'm Ponyboy. Ponyboy Curtis."

He stuck out his hand and she nodded, since it hurt too much to move.

If Di wasn't in such pain she would've said something about such an unusual name, but right now, that kind of thing couldn't be on her mind.

"Diane Johnston. Call me Di."

Within a couple of seconds, they had reached the destination.

It was crowded by trees, which made it well hidden. There was a little fire lit, and some junk was spread across the ground.

They stood there awkwardly for a moment, while Di observed the stranger.

He was the boy that had walked with Ponyboy, the other dark haired one. His eyes were closed, and his skin was tanned.

Ponyboy bent down carefully and quietly and whispered, "Hey Johnny. Wake up."

He shook him gently, and the boy's eyes opened.

He looked at Ponyboy, then noticing Di, his gaze averted upwards.

Di quickly spoke, "I'm Di, Diane Johnston. Just Di though."

He nodded while he propped himself against a piece of wood.  
"I'm Johnny Cade."

Di thought that he looked so rough, but then she knew she probably didn't look like some movie star. (She'd just been beat up!)

"Well, if I'm a second later, Darry's gonna kill me. I'm gonna go."

_Well that's reassuring. _Di thought.

He sprinted off into the distance.

"Here, sit down." Johnny told her, scooting over.

Di did as Johnny had said, though a bit reluctant.

She kept a fair bit of space between him, and crossed her arms over her chest.

There was an uncomfortable silence, and neither of them appreciated it too much.

Di ached all over, and she wanted to cry so bad she could hardly stand it!  
Di closed her eyes, trying to believe that doing so would make the pain away.

Johnny turned his head and observed Di.

He had noticed that she was all bloody and bruised up, but he didn't say anything.

He hated when Ponyboy, Dally, and all the other Greasers would ask him what had happened, and hated it. He knew they all cared, but he was a greaser! He had to be tuff.

You know that feeling when you can tell someone's watching you? Well about after thirty seconds, Di's eyes flew open and rolled over to Johnny.

She stared at him for a couple of seconds, and then simultaneously, they said, " What happened to you?"

"You first." Johnny said quickly.

Di turned her head carefully, and rubbed it gently with her palm. She felt some liquid and knew it was blood. She gulped, making her throat feel dry.

"My father."

Johnny nodded, he knew what she meant. "Me too. Both my parents get drunk all time, and, you know."

Di didn't say anything, she didn't have to. Her eyes said it all.  
She was one of those people, who, no matter how hard they tried, could be read as easily as the dry pages of a book. The young woman's eyes told everything.

"Was this your first time?"

Di's mind told screamed her not to tell, but her heart screamed otherwise. "Yes."

He felt sympathy for her; he had gone through this his whole life.

"Boy, it sure is cold."

Di laughed, only to regret the pain that followed.

"There isn't no cover is there?" Di asked.

"Ah-uh." (A/n- like saying no. The wordless way of saying no.)

Di sighed, trying to relax her sore muscles.

Before long, the pain was enough to make her fall into an unpeaceful slumber.

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A/N – Over 200 hits, and only 6 reviews? Ah! PLEASE review! Constructive criticism is appreciated! Also, if anyone is interested I need a beta reader! If you've got any ideas, tell me and I might could use them.  
(By the way, thank you to my 6 reviewers: ) )  
Oh, this ISN'T in the same timeline as the book. This is before the book starts.  
Sorry to bore you with a long author's note!

Please review!


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